Andrew Zimmern has traveled extensively as host of Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods America" and has tasted hundreds of exotic dishes, but for the first time earlier today he and his production crew chowed down delicacies that can only be found at Jersey City's Thirty Acres restaurant

"I think it’s interesting to see a chef who’s introducing Jerseyites to a taste of their state that they didn’t otherwise think of," Zimmern said of Thirty Acres co-owner and chef Kevin Pemoulie, who since the opening of his restaurant in April of 2012 has been busy cooking what he describes are seasonal American meals made with local ingredients.

"I have these visual images, I think of him always reaching behind him into this giant bevy of New Jersey ingredients: local fish, local farms, supporting local, local, local," said Zimmern, noting that nowadays cooking will local ingredients isn't rare "but there’s very few people that stay committed to that."

“He does that here, and by the way he does it in an extremely clever modernist way with a modernists sensibility. And I find that's spectacular as well,” Zimmern added.

Around 6 p.m., Pemoulie went to work in the kitchen of his small restaurant, near the intersection of Wayne Street and Jersey Avenue, while Zimmern and his crew filmed the Cranford native prepare locally caught fluke fish for an upcoming episode.

"I’m going to be doing most of the eating," Zimmern said. "If he wants me to chop a scallion I’ll be happy to."

It all began with a spontaneous email about a month ago, said Alex Pemoulie, Kevin's wife, when the couple was contacted by the show's producers, who wanted to feature Thirty Acres. Alex Pemoulie is co-owner and general manager of the Jersey Avenue eatery.

"We watch the show, we really like it," she said.

Just moments prior to taping, Thirty Acres was abuzz with activity with its 11 staff members finalizing preparations before the arrival of the "Bizarre Food" crew: the floor was swept, the bar stocked, and latest menus were neatly folded.

However, those won't be the last menus to come off the printer so if you're eager to try the fluke fish Pemoulie shares with "Bizarre Foods America" you better hurry, because this veteran chef does not limit his food options, but instead he says he makes changes "whenever I want to."